Luke 12:22-34 - A Christian does not retire

Luke 12:13-21 ASV And one out of the multitude said unto him, Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. (14) But he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? (15) And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. (16) And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: (17) and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits? (18) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. (19) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. (20) But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? (21) So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The title in this Bible I am looking at is "Jesus warns against selfishness". Perhaps so.

Another way of selfishness is this idea of retirement. I think many of us have this rosy picture of being retired someday. Retirement means no worries, "hakutamatata" or whatever that animal said in the movie Lion King. I am guilty of that and still am really.

But as I approach an age when retirement is looking more real there is some fear too. What am I going to do with myself. So I have been research retirement jobs. I cannot be idle. The fear, based on examples I know, is that retired people quickly die. I do not want to die of boredom, surely.

But it's more than that, based on this warning of Jesus. I think Jesus called him a fool because of his selfishness yes. Also he was blind to his mortality. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he thought thinks were going to continue indefinitely.

In view of that we have to take a view that includes what happens after we die. Laying aside for our physical needs in not enough. We must work to develop spiritual riches as well.

Now that I am typing all this I cannot easily communicate what this directly has to do with not thinking of ourselves as retired. The foolish man in Jesus' story surely is doing that, taking early retirement. I have always thought that a commendable goal but God has seen fit never to allow that for me, despite much planning and thinking about it.

But I refuse to give up being as honest as I can and being generous. Not that all who can retire early have been dishonest or ungenerous. I know some either happened into a great situation or had amazing gifts, much more than I. I am glad for them, not jealous. But I know that all that brings responsibilities. Major responsibilities, that is one reason why I am not jealous. I have enough worries. I do not think I could handle more.

Some how this did remind me of not retiring. I do not think God ever wants us to retire in the sense of ceasing to do good. He always has works for us to do no matter how old we get. I believe thinking like that, that we can somehow cease to serve or do good, can be a debilitating trap. It would be for me. Fortunately God is on me to change my mind on all that. As I keep seeking him he keeps working to make me more in his image.

That's a good point, God did not retire after making the universe, as some might think. God is still actively working to help his people. Praise God, he loves to do it. He does it with a good will. It is not a burden to him. We are to be like him.